Hawkmoth's Reign
by Alice Pink
Summary: Hawkmoth continues his search for the miraculouses. With a few tricks up his sleeve and a couple of new friends, he'll find a way to get them. After a heartbreaking encounter with him, Ladybug/Marinette is faced with a battle between her emotions and the truth. How with Paris be saved with its lost heroes? ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT
1. Chapter 1: The Fault in Ladybug

"This is all my fault." Ladybug cried into her knees.

Tears continued to spill from Ladybug's eyes as she stared down at the city below. The clouds and rain made the city look sad, but nothing could be worse than how Ladybug felt now. She couldn't feel worse, sitting up on a tall building roof in the pouring rain all alone. She had left Adrien, not wanting to see him or speak to anyone. Once Hawkmoth had stolen Chat Noir's ring, revealing him to be Adrien, she immediately fled. Now all that she could think about was everything falling. Everything seemed over to her. Adrien would hate her, Alya's gone, and Hawkmoth would win. And there was nothing she could do.

"It's all over." Ladybug mumbled.

* * *

 **Three Hours Ago:**

"So . . . what are you gonna do now, Ladybug?" Hawkmoth asked, lifting her chin up.

Ladybug ignored him and looked back down at the floor.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were each tied to a pole with their hands behind their backs and no way of escaping. After battling Miss Fortune, they were knocked out and woke up in a dark room with one bright light on the ceiling. They had no clue where they were. Everything was dark, but the light above them. Before them stood Hawkmoth with a huge grin as they sat restrained.

"No answer, huh?" Hawkmoth had his hands folded behind his back as he walked around the room. "What about you, Chat Noir?" He asked, bending down in front of him. "Do you know anything? You got a plan to escape this place?" Silence. "Tell me what you know."

Chat Noir glared up at Hawkmoth, angrily.

"No answer either." Hawkmoth stood up and moved over to Ladybug. "Maybe if I took Ladybug's miraculous you'd have something to say to me." Hawkmoth turned Ladybug's head to face Chat Noir. "Last chance." He announced, moving his hand up to her earring.

"No! Stop!" Chat shouted, yanking at the ropes he was trapped in. "Don't do it."

"Then . . . tell me what you know about the guardian."

"Who's the guardian?" Chat questioned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. He's the one that gave you your miraculous."

"Still don't know."

"Well . . . " Hawkmoth stepped behind Ladybug's pole and untied her hands. He kept her hands behind her back and moved in front of Chat Noir, holding her wrists. "Maybe if something happens to her . . . you'll start to remember."

"No! Don't touch her!"

"Tell me what you know."

"I don't know anything!" Chat Noir clarified.

"Well what do you have to say, Ladybug?" Hawkmoth asked, turning his head to look at her. "I suggest you talk. Remember what happened to that blogger girl?"

Ladybug felt nervous as tear fell from her cheek. She looked over to the corner where Alya was currently laying. She was already dead when Ladybug and Chat Noir had woken up.

"You shouldn't have done that." Ladybug growled. "She was my friend! She didn't deserve any of this."

"Well we wouldn't want the same thing to happen to you now would we? So . . . do you know anything about the guardian?"

"Yes." She mumbled.

"Was that a yes?" Hawkmoth smiled.

"Hello Hawkie." Miss Fortune said, opening up a window across the room and hopping in. "I'm back and ready for more revenge."

"Good. Stand over by Chat Noir."

Miss Fortune nodded and did as she was told.

"So Ladybug . . . what do you know about the guardian?"

"I'm not telling you anything!"

"Are you sure?" Hawkmoth turned her head to look at Alya.

She felt afraid. "If I tell you . . . you have to let Chat Noir go."

Hawkmoth put his hand under his chin, debating it before agreeing. "Fine. We have a deal then? Now tell me who he is."

"Untie Chat Noir first." Ladybug demanded.

"Feisty aren't we now."

"Maybe I'll answer a question if you untie him."

"Fine. Miss Fortune . . . untie Chat Noir and don't let him get away."

"As you wish, Hawkmoth." Miss. Fortune smiled. "But the better option is to leave one hand tied because if I untie both, he'll overpower me and run."

"Do whatever. You know which is better."

Miss Fortune untied one of Chat Noir's hands and held on so he wouldn't squirm to move.

"So . . . who is the guardian?"

"He's . . . the one that gave us our miraculouses." Ladybug answered.

"How? Why'd he give them to you two?"

"I don't know all the details, but he chose us because of our kindness."

"Kindness . . . okay . . . where is he?" Hawkmoth continued to ask questions.

"I'll keep answering questions when you let Chat Noir go." Ladybug announced, glaring at Hawkmoth.

"Oh come on . . . Marinette." Miss Fortune grinned. "Just answer the questions."

"Don't speak my name."

Chat Noir stared at her surprise. Definitely listening.

"Don't you think it's about time you tell Adrien how you feel? Instead of hiding?"

"Stop."

"Will you ever tell him? Maybe, but . . . would he even like the other you?"

"Stop!" Ladybug shouted.

"Answer the questions!" Miss Fortune demanded.

"Untie Chat Noir!"

"You know . . . I have a better idea." Miss Fortune immediately pulled Chat Noir's ring off of his finger. "What do you think now?"

"No!" Hawkmoth screamed, his voice echoing as he stepped forward clenching his fists in front of him. "What have you done?!"

"That wasn't the agreement." Ladybug announced, stomping on Hawkmoth's foot.

Ladybug ran to the end of the room and felt the wall. She finally found the window that Miss Fortune had come through and opened it. Near her was Alya, still on the floor. She couldn't look. Tears began to well up in her eyes before she remembered the more important problem.

"Chat Noir." Ladybug looked back towards Chat Noir as she sat on the ledge. "Chat . . . Adrien?"

Ladybug's mouth dropped open as she stared at Adrien. She stood there frozen, without saying anything else. Everything around her was a blur.

"Get her!" Hawkmoth demanded.

Ladybug couldn't see or hear anything, but she understood one of Hawkmoth's commands. She wanted to save Chat Noir/Adrien, but she needed to escape. Ladybug jumped out the window and disappeared into the day. She ran past the crying citizens in the streets and jumped up to a tall building. She layed down on her side and began to bawl. Her eyelids felt heavy as she began to fall asleep.

* * *

"You idiot!" Hawkmoth shouted. "She got away because of you. How are we supposed to get her back?!"

"Listen, Hawkie, she was going to run anyway." Miss Fortune announced. "That was her plan all along."

"Then why didn't you tell me this when she was here?! Now we just have Chat Noir."

Hawkmoth looked over at Adrien, who was looking down, processing everything he had heard.

"Because . . . I got into her head." She smiled, tapping her head. "You know that I can see everything, so you should trust me on what I saw. I looked into her and saw who she really was and who she has a crush on. If I get into her head, she'll be weak. Weak enough for us to defeat her."

"You better be right about this." Hawkmoth said, calming down. "But if you're not . . . I'm taking your power away and you can go back to those ungrateful teenagers."

Miss Fortune had an angry expression. "I'm not going back to them. Never."

"Then fix this."

"We have his ring, now." Miss Fortune said, putting the ring in Hawkmoth's hand. "We are farther than we were before."

"Yeah, but . . . as for you!" Hawkmoth began as he moved over to Adrien. "You're Chat Noir. Adrien Agreste . . . the one and only Chat Noir."

"Why does it matter who I am?" Adrien glared.

"I can't believe it's you. I should've known."

"Why?!" Adrien demanded. "Is it because I'm suppose to be some good, pure, never does anything wrong model? Because I'm not and . . . I will never be anything like that. I will get out of here and I will find Ladybug and . . . we'll fix everything. I won't be a good boy that'll listen to you."

"Stop. I've heard enough." Hawkmoth bent down so that he was a foot away from Adrien's face. "I know you'll escape and I know this because . . . I'm gonna let you go."

"Let me go?" Adrien asked, confused. "Why would you let me leave?"

"Because . . . I need you for my plan."

Hawkmoth stood up and began to walk away.

"Plan? What plan?"

"You'll find out more later." He said, waving by to Chat Noir as he walked through a door with Miss Fortune.


	2. Chapter 2: The Start of It

**Two Days Before:**

"I need them, Nooroo." Gabriel said, pacing back and forth in his lair. "I need those miraculouses."

"But, master . . . you can't steal the miraculouses." Nooroo pleaded. "They are kept safe by the guardian and only given to the people that are chosen for them."

"What?!" Gabriel turned back to his kwami. "Who is this guardian?"

"I-I don't really know." Nooroo lied. "I've only met him once."

Nooroo knew he must obey his master's demands, but he needed to lie. It was bad enough that he was in the hands of evil, but he had to try and keep things from getting worse as best he could. He couldn't tell Gabriel anything else.

"There must be another way. I don't just need Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous, I need all of them and I don't care what this guardian has to say about it."

"But master-"

"No, Nooroo." Gabriel interrupted. "You need to stop contradicting me. Express your evil ways and help me for once!"

Nooroo's held his head in defeat as secrecy didn't help.

* * *

A Chinese Restaurant in Paris:

"Okay . . . here's your check and fortune cookies. Have a nice day." The server smiled.

"These are stupid." A boy said, throwing his cookie on the table and crossing his arms. "What does that server think we are, five?"

As the server walked away, she heard the kids she had just served, murmuring. Once they had mentioned her, she headed back to them.

"Don't you think these fortune cookies are so lame."

"Yeah." His friend agreed, unfolding his paper inside his cookie. "My cookie says . . . a wave of luck is coming your way."

"What a waste." The boy laughed. "They're just trying to get our hopes up for things that won't happen."

"I don't know. Maybe I should go buy some lottery tickets."

They both continued to laugh, reading the rest of the fortunes until the server came back.

"Is there a problem?" She asked. "Do you need anything else?"

"Yeah. Why did you give us these stupid fortune cookies?" The boy asked.

"Well . . . I bake them and most guests like to receive them." The server smiled. "They usually enjoy the little fortunes inside of them. I myself think they're fun to make and get."

"Well could you at least write better fortunes?"

"Most customers love my fortuned. I tried my best to write them."

"Then could you try harder because . . . these fortunes are awful." The friend said, throwing his fortune down on the table."

"Why don't you just appreciate what you get!" She shouted, slamming her tray on the table before she walked away.

A butterfly fluttered towards the server girl as Hawkmoth's lair opened up to spy on her.

"That wasn't nice of them to treat you like that." Hawkmoth announced. "Miss Fortune, come and help me steal Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous and you will get your revenge. Your predictions will be right while you'll be able to see the future and tell some lies to frighten some."

"Yes, Hawkmoth." Miss Fortune nodded, transforming into her evil self.

"Miss Fortune, come find me. We have matters to discuss before you seek your revenge."

* * *

 **One Day Before:**

"Don't forget your croissant, Marinette." Sabine reminded.

"Thanks, mom." She said, grabbing a croissant as she ran out the door.

Marinette walked across the street to the school. She wasn't late, so she didn't need to run. At the top of the steps stood Nino who was looking around for something.

"Hi, Nino." Marinette greeted, walking up the steps.

"Hi, have you seen Alya yet?"

"No. Usually she's with you by the time I get here."

"Yeah. Adrien's rarely here before us, so me and Alya usually stand here and wait for you two to show up."

"I wonder where she is." Marinette said, taking out her phone. "She hasn't texted me since yesterday."

Marinette: Are you sick? Why aren't you at school?

Marinette sent the text and put her phone away.

"Well I'll wait here with you, Nino."

"Thanks."

* * *

Adrien showed up for school soon after Marinette and they all walked to class. Marinette set her stuff down on her desk when she received a text.

Alya: I'm not sick, but don't worry about me.

Marinette: Is something wrong? Where are you?

"Alright class, let's get started with today's lesson." Ms. Bustier said, closing the door and walking in the classroom.

* * *

After a long lecture from Ms. Bustier, Marinette quickly pulled her phone out again. She was beginning to get worried about Alya.

Alya: I'm fine and it doesn't matter where I am.

'Why is she saying this?' Marinette thought. 'This isn't Alya. She tells me everything.'

Marinette: Why are you acting like this? I know there's something wrong. Just tell me.

Alya: I can't, okay! Just forget I said anything.

Marinette put her phone away and sat quietly at her desk. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with Alya. She had never acted this way before and Marinette couldn't process any of it. Nothing made sense.

* * *

Hawkmoth unlocked the door and stepped into the room that Alya was currently being held in. He grinned at her as he shut the door behind him. Alya had one hand chained to the wall and held her phone in the other.

"So what have you been texting?" He asked, bending down to her.

"Just like you asked." She answered, sadly, looking down at her phone. "Telling my friends and family that I'm okay and there's nothing to worry about."

"Let me see." Hawkmoth took her phone and smiled. "Just wanted to make sure you haven't sent a cry for help."

"Why are you doing this?" Alya asked, keeping her head down.

"I have a plan . . . and you're part of it . . . what's this?" Hawkmoth turned the phone to show it to her. "You told your friend that you're not sick and not going to school. You're making her suspicious. Now . . . fix it. We can't have anyone worrying or being suspicious." He handed her back her phone and walked out, locking the door again.

* * *

Marinette felt her phone vibrate and saw a new text from Alya.

Alya: Sorry about that. I had gotten into a fight with my mom.

Once Marinette read the text, she was quick to reply.

Marinette: Are you okay? I could come over after school.

Alya: I'm fine and you don't need to come over. I'll talk to you when I'm ready.

Marinette: Okay. Well I hope everything works out.

It still felt a bit off to Marinette while she waited for a response. Something wasn't right.

* * *

"I do too." Alya sighed, looking at Marinette's text.

"All done?"

"Yep." Alya said, handing Miss Fortune her phone. "All done."

"Good." Miss Fortune said, taking the phone and walking away. She looked back towards Alya with a sympathetic smile. "And don't worry . . . Hawkmoth will let you go. Eventually. He may seem bad now, but he's there for people when they need help."

* * *

The school bell rang and everyone began to leave the classroom. Marinette saw that Alya hadn't responded in a while and she didn't want to start a fight, so she didn't send anything else. She put her phone away and headed into the hallway. Suddenly there was a loud scream. Marinette ran to the railing at the sound of it. She couldn't see anything, but she figured the sound wasn't coming from that far away.

She immediately ran to an empty room to transform.

* * *

Ladybug found Chat Noir bent down beside a woman not too far from the school.

"What's happening, Chat Noir?" She asked, moving to his side.

"Not entirely sure, but this woman's talking about some starnge visions she's having. She says they started when she saw a woman attacking Paris."

"Another akuma." Ladybug analyzed, bending down to put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "Do you know where the woman went or what she looked like?" Ladybug asked.

"She went towards the middle of the city . . . blasting people." The woman tried to think past the thoughts in her head. "She wore uh . . . red dress with chinese writing on it and . . . she had black hair that was in two buns. She wore red lipstick and had an employee name tag on."

"Thank you." Ladybug said, standing up.

"Ah!" The woman shrieked, covering her face.

"What is it?" Chat Noir asked, looking back at her.

"The visions . . . t-they're back." She cried. "I . . . I-I need to . . . I need to f-find my husband. I m-must go."

The woman pushed past them and ran off, leaving a confused Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know." Ladybug replied, looking to where the woman ran.

"Woah. Look!" Chat Noir pointed up in the sky where Miss Fortune was hovering above the city, getting closer to them. "There she is."

The few people around them in the streets that had not been attacked or seen anything decided to pull out their phones to record the woman. The woman saw them and smiled, posing for them.

Ladybug looked around for Alya. 'She's not here. Must have been some fight with her mom.' She thought. 'Alya would never miss an akuma attack or a news story about us.'

"Hello, Paris. I am Miss Fortune." She announced. "I am your fortune teller and I am here because I know your future. Now . . . allow me to enlighten you all."

The symbols on Miss Fortune's dress lit up as she stared into the eyes of citizens below. Once she made eye contact, they began to get visions too. The citizens dropped their phones and held their heads. They began to cry at what they saw.

"Stop!" Ladybug shouted.

"Oh, Ladybug and Chat Noir." Miss Fortune's grin grew. "You're finally here."

"What are you?" Ladybug asked. "Some failed psychic? You know, just because you can't predict the future doesn't mean you terrorize people."

"No. I was a server at a Chinese restaurant with some ungrateful customers that don't appreciate my fortune cookies. Now I will seek my revenge."

"By doing what exactly?" Chat Noir asked.

"By telling them their future." Miss Fortune answered. "The only trick is that sometimes instead of showing the future, I show them lies to scare them."

"Those customers at your restaurant are just ungrateful." Ladybug said, looking around her. "Don't take it out on everyone else. These people here did nothing."

"Aw." Miss Fortune made a pouting face. "Do you miss all your fans that I just freaked out? I'm sure there's plenty more like that blogger girl Alya Cesaire."

"Don't you dare think this is funny!" Ladybug screamed. "Alya Cesaire is not like any other fan or blogger and no one will be like her. She's my friend and I don't need to hear anything bad about her from you right now."

"Aw. That's cute." Miss Fortune smiled. "You miss your little friend."

"Yeah and-wait!" Ladybug moved forward, pointing at her. "Missing? How did you know she wasn't in school today? Did you do something to her?"

"Maybe."

"You did, didn't you? What have you done to her?!" Ladybug shouted, staring into Miss Fortune's eyes, not caring if she would be attacked.

"I don't know if I should tell you. She seemed like she wouldn't want to see anyone."

"Take me to her." She demanded.

"How do I know that I can trust you? You might just escape." Miss Fortune made a sad face before facing away from them and slowly stepping away. "You might try to hurt me or free her."

"No! I won't. I . . . promise . . . I just . . . want to see my friend. Please . . . take me to her."

"Well, maybe I could take you." She had a slight grin on her face.

"Please. I just want to talk to her and make sure she's okay."

"Ladybug." Chat called, pulling her back to him. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." Ladybug started. "We are Paris's protectors. We can't let anyone be kidnapped and held captive. We must go to where Alya is and find a way to help her. It's our job."

"Okay, but . . . don't trust this villain too much. I'm not getting a good feeling about this."

"We have to try."

"Are you coming or not?" Miss Fortune asked, getting impatient.

"Yes." Ladybug walked back to Miss Fortune with Chat Noir at her side. "And if Alya is hurt in any way . . . my promise for your safety will be broken."

"Fine." Miss Fortune said, turning back around. "Follow me."

* * *

"Where are we even going?" Ladybug asked, getting tired from the walking.

Miss Fortune stopped and turned around with an angry glare. "You'll find out when we get there! Now, stop asking me that."

"Hey, we're suppose to trust each other on this." Ladybug announced. "Wouldn't that mean you at least tell us where we're going."

"Fine." She sighed, walking to their side with her hand in her pocket. "You see those two blue buildings over there?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir stepped forward, searching for the buildings.

"What blue buildings?" Chat asked, squinting his eyes.

"Those ones." Miss Fortune pulled out a big, blue flashlight and hit the back of Ladybug and Chat Noir's head.

The two of them collapsed as Miss Fortune laughed and pulled out her phone.

"Hey, Hawkmoth, it's done. Ready for you to come and get them."

"Perfect." Hawkmoth grinned back in his lair. "I'll send you some helping hands and they'll help you bring them back here."

* * *

Ladybug's eyes slowly opened to see a dark room around her with a light shining above her and Chat Noir.

"What?!" Ladybug shouted, barely waking Chat Noir. She quickly moved before realizing she was tied up. "Chat!"

Chat Noir was fully awake now and confused as well.

"Ladybug, what's going on?"

"I don't know." She answered. "Miss Fortune must have brought us here."

"I knew we shouldn't have went with her." Chat said, shaking his head. "We shouldn't have trusted her. She's a villain and she'd never do anything good."

"But why would she have brought us here and . . . " Ladybug looked across the dark room. "Where's Alya?"

Chat Noir's eyes grew wide as he stood there, frozen and speechless. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. No noise, no blinking, no breathing, only silence from him. Fear and panic overtook him while he stayed frozen.

"What?" Ladybug asked, noticing Chat Noir still. "What is it?"

No response. Just silence.

"Chat!" She shouted. "What is it?! Tell me!"

His eyes shifted to her with a quiet "look." He took in a deep breath. "I think I found her."

Ladybug, confused, turned her head to the right to see what he was looking at. There on the floor in the corner was Alya. She laid there, unconscious, with a small dagger stabbed into her chest. A wave of emotions began to engulf Ladybug as she stared at her fallen friend. With no sign of life, Ladybug began to cry out and sob. Tears streamed down her cheeks, like a river, and fell onto her legs.

"Alya!" She bawled, looking down. "What have they done to you?"

Chat Noir had never seen someone dead before and he certainly had never seen Ladybug cry. The sound of her pain quickly shot him back to reality from shock. He wished he could hug Ladybug, bug the ropes stopped him. They were stuck there, separated, while they grieved.

"This is all my fault." Ladybug mumbled.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So those were the first two chapters. I know it may seem confusing with the flashbacks and everything, but I wrote it the way I wanted to. There's more to come. Some mysteries will be solved and some won't, but everything's sure gonna be a rollar coaster. Tell me what you think.**

 **-Alice Pink**


	3. Chapter 3: Gone

Ladybug's eyes fluttered open from her quick nap. She laid on back as the tears and raindrops continued to roll off her face. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down. With everything feeling as if it's ending, she didn't want to fall apart and go down with it all. Screams and cries echoed from the streets below. Ladybug tried to keep her eyes tightly shut. She couldn't do anything. With Miss Fortune far away, there was nothing she could do to save them. She was just false hope for them.

"I'm no hero." Ladybug announced, sitting up. She peered over the edge of the building to the streets. A little girl cried out when she found her distraught mother on the ground. Ladybug bent down on her knees and covered her ears from the shreik. "What hero would let her city suffer?" She asked herself. "I deserve every hurt that I get."

"Now I wouldn't say that."

Ladybug jolted up to see Adrien standing by door to the stairwell.

"What?" Ladybug thought she was hallucinating or something. Nothing seemed real anymore. "Adrien . . . how are you here and . . . how'd you know which building I'd be on?" Ladybug immediately asked, crossing her arms. "I mean . . . of all of Paris to search. How'd you possibly find me?"

"Uh . . . Hawkmoth . . . let me use my miraculous to track your location with my baton." Adrien answered, walking up to her with his hands in his pockets. "He set me free."

"Why? It's Hawkmoth."

"He didn't have any other use for me, I guess. He just took my miraculous and . . . let me leave to come find you."

"That's odd." Ladybug stated, brushing the dirt off her knees. "Something doesn't feel right about this."

"Other than the fact that I'm Adrien Agreste?"

"Oh yeah. That." Ladybug looked up at the sky. "Completely forgot about that." She lied.

Adrien furrowed his brow at her, noticing her lack of eye contact. "Why won't you look me in the eye?"

"I don't know . . . just can't."

"Are you disappointed that it's me? That I'm Adrien. Is that why you can't look at me?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Okay, let's just focus on the bigger issue here instead of our identities."

"You're Marinette." Adrien announced, moving forward.

Ladybug groaned. "Let's just forget about this. Yes I'm Marinette." She clarified, looking down at her feet with a sigh. "I didn't know if you had heard that earlier." She said, twiddling her fingers. "I was . . . kind of hoping you didn't."

Adrien stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm happy it's you." Adrien smiled, moving his hand to her cheek. "I couldn't think of anyone better. Which . . . makes what I'm about to do . . . even harder."

Ladybug furrowed her eye brows and lifted her head up, confused. "Wait, what?"

Adrien immediately grabbed her earrings and stepped back.

"Adrien." She breathed. "Why did you . . . "

Ladybug's transformation faded away to show her civilian self. Adrien marveled the sparkling release of her mask with a smile.

"You stole my miraculous!" She growled.

"Look, Marinette-"

"No! I've had enough happen today. I don't need to hear your excuses too."

"But, Marinette . . . you don't understand."

"I understand that you're on Hawkmoth's side now. I thought we were partners, but . . . I see that doesn't matter now. You took my miraculous and . . . you don't actually care."

Marinette walked away and left through the stairwell. Adrien stood there, looking down at the two earrings that laid in his hands.

"What have I done?" He mumbled. Adrien began to feel guilt inside.

He stood there as minutes passed, debating his next move. He didn't know what to do. Go after Marinette or go back to Hawkmoth?

* * *

Marinette headed back to the bakery through the cold rain. She crossed her arms, shivering in the cooler weather.

"Marinette!" Adrien called, running towards her.

Marinette ignored him and continued moving.

"Marinette, wait." He panted, stopping in front of her.

"Adrien I don't-"

Adrien put his finger over her lips. "Just . . . let me explain."

"Fine." Marinette agreed with a glare. "You have two minutes."

"Okay, so Hawkmoth said he wanted me to be part of his plan." Adrien began, shushing Marinette as she was about to interrupt him again. "I couldn't tell him no because he probably wouldn't have let me leave. So I listened to what he had to say and . . . started getting convinced."

"So . . . you actually wanted to steal my miraculous and give it to Hawkmoth?"

"No, no, no, no. Let me finish. Hawkmoth said he had information about my mom. He said . . . he'd tell me everything if I gave him your miraculous. At first I didn't believe him, but then he proved that he really does know my mom somehow and I couldn't resist." Adrien looked down. "I haven't seen my mom in over a year now. I just . . . wanted to know about her . . . where she is, and . . . what her life was like before me. I'm sorry that I betrayed you. I shouldn't have taken your miraculous and . . . I'm so sorry." Adrien took her hands and put her earrings in them. "I will never do that to you again. Please forgive me."

Marinette let out a heavy sigh. "I might forgive you. After all . . . it was just one mistake."

"You will!"

"Only!" Marinette shouted pointing her finger in his face. "If you're 100% on my side. Not Hawkmoth's. No more secrets."

"Deal. Chat's honor." Adrien put his hand on his heart with a cocky grin. "Whatever you want?"

"Whatever I want?" Marinette said with an evil grin.

"What are you thinking?"

"Oh nothing." She said, walking past him.

"Wait, Marinette."

"Ugh!" Marinette groaned turning around. "What do you want now?"

"Why did you leave without your miraculous earlier? You didn't even fight for it."

"Because." She said walking back to him. "I trust my partner. You've risked your life for me dozens of times, so why shouldn't I believe you'll do what's right?"

"You trust me that much?"

"Partners, right?"

"Always."

"Well I'm going home now . . . so bye."

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

'The Adrien Agreste wants to walk me home!' Marinette thought. 'This is a dream come true, but . . . after everything. That's too many feelings for one day. I have to pass up one of the best experiences ever.'

"I'm fine." She answered

Marinette turned around and started walking home. Adrien smiled as he waved goodbye to her. He ignored the cold rain. He was warm enough with happiness from her forgiveness. Besides the joy of knowing who she really is, he had already knew her. She was beside him all along with and without the mask. And now he could see her and hang out with her whenever.

* * *

 **Late that Night:**

Marinette tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't sleep. Her mind wouldn't stop thinking about today. Everything just happened so fast. Too fast to comprehend and too much to handle. Marinette angrily buried her face in her pillow.

"I can't do this anymore." She mumbled, sitting up. She rubbed her eyes and turned to the side of her bed, looking at the floor.

'I can't face Adrien tomorrow.' Marinette bit her lip, thinking. 'Or anyone for the matter of fact. Everything reminds me of him, and Alya, and earlier.'

"This is too much." She said, looking over at her kwami who was sleep. "I need a break."

Marinette left her bed and emptied out her backpack. She immediately grabbed some clothes and other supplies while writing on a sticky note and piece of paper. She quietly snuck down to the bakery, trying not to wake Tikki or her parents. Marinette grabbed a few sweets and walked out the door.

* * *

 **In Hawkmoth's Lair . . .**

"Hawkmoth!"

"What?!" Hawkmoth asked, turning to his partner.

"You said I'd have the fox miraculous by now. Why haven't you captured it yet?"

"Be Patient." Hawkmoth answered. "It takes time."

"How much time? Days? Weeks? Months?"

"I don't know!" Hawkmoth shouted, getting impatient with her. "So far . . . all I know is that we're now one step closer to getting it and all of the other miraculouses now that we have that Alya girl. Hopefully it won't be much longer."

"We need them soon in order for your plan to work."

"I know, Volpina, but success takes time. We'll soon have all of the miraculouses and we'll be in charge of Paris." Hawkmoth grinned. "We'll be Paris's new protectors."

"I can't wait." Volpina grinned.

* * *

 **The Next Day:**

Adrien sat at his school desk, ignoring Ms. Bustier's entire lecture. He couldn't focus on anything but Marinette. He couldn't wait to see her when he got to school, but she wasn't here. He longed and dreamed to see her. Now knowing she's Ladybug, he'd see her not just as Marinette, but in a new light. She'd be a hidden hero, caring friend, and amazing person that he's in love with. He wished she were here.

The bell rang and class was dismissed. Adrien knew he'd have to ask Nino about the lesson later, but for now he had more things on his mind. It was now time for lunch and he wanted to visit the best place for lunch, the Dupain-Cheng Bakery.

* * *

Marinette cracked open her eyes to see the blue sky above. She had finally got some sleep after yesterday's hectic events and what's even better was sleeping in. She was finally calm and at piece knowing that she didn't have to see anyone today. Marinette smiled to herself as she unzipped her sleeping bag and rolled over on her back to look up. The birds chirping seemed to harmonize with the slight breeze that blew. The bright day brought new hope for Marinette. She'd receive a nice break from troubles.

* * *

Adrien stepped inside the bakery door and breathed in the smell of freshly baked goods. He smiled and walked up to Marinette's mom at the counter.

"Hello, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng." Adrien greeted.

"Oh hello, Adrien. What can I get you?"

"Actually, I'm here to see Marinette."

"Oh . . . sorry Adrien, but . . . " Sabine looked down as her eyes began to water. "But Marinette's missing."

"Missing?" Adrien felt a small pain of guilt in his chest as he gulped. "What do you mean by missing?"

"Well . . . when we went to check on her this morning, she . . . was gone." Sabine began. "She had dumped out all of her school books onto her floor and her backpack and some clothes were gone."

"And you don't have any idea where she could be?" Adrien asked.

"No. She left her phone and everything else here." Sabine dug into her pocket for something and pulled out a small piece of paper. "All we know is that she left this note."

Adrien took the note and read it.

 **"I'm sorry for this, but I need some time alone to myself. I'll be gone for a few days, but I'll be back soon. Don't worry. I'm fine. I have clothes, food, and everything else I might need. There are just some things that I need to think through. Try not to worry."**

 **-Marinette**

Adrien looked up from the note sadly and gave it back to Marinette's mom.

"It's sad to hear that she's gone."

"Yeah." Sabine agreed. "At least she said she'd be back though. Normal runaways wouldn't leave a note or say anything. We'll give her two days, but . . . if she's not back by then, we'll call the police."

"Why not now?"

"Because . . . Marinette must have something serious going on that she needs to think about. We know how hard life can be for teenagers now. If we send people searching for her and forcing her to come home, nothing will have changed." Sabine sighed. "We'll give her some time. Once she returns, we'll try to help her through any situations she has."

"You and your husband are really good parents." Adrien smiled.

"We just want the best for her. She's our pride and joy."

"I wish I could help you find her." Adrien looked down.

"I'm sure you could. You know her differently and you might know something that we don't. You're a friend, so . . . you can go up to her room if you want and look for clues. But please tell us if you find anything unusual or out of place."

"I will." Adrien said, walking to the back of the bakery.

He quickly ran up the stairs all the way to Marinette's room. He stepped inside and looked around. Nothing looked different from the last time he was here. Everything looked as if she had never left. One thing caught Adrien's eye though. He walked over to her desk and noticed that she had pictures of him on the wall. A smile rose on Adrien's face. Most girls in Paris were fans on him, but knowing that Marinette was one too made him happy.

"Are you really focusing on her posters of you right now?" An angry voice asked

Adrien turned around to find a red kwami, with her arms crossed, floating in front of him.

"I'm guessing you're Marinette's kwami . . . I'm Adrien-"

"I know." Tikki interrupted. "I'm Tikki and you're Adrien Agreste the famous model and kindhearted person that also happens to be Chat Noir. I know everything about you."

"How do you know all of that? I've never met you before."

"Marinette talks about you a lot. Now-"

"Wait . . . does Marinette have a crush on me?"

"It shouldn't matter. You both have a crush on each other, but worry about that at another time. We need to find Marinette. This is the worst possible time for her to be missing."

"Why would she leave?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe because her best friend is dead!" Tikki shouted. "She's too overwhelmed."

"Where could she have gone?" Adrien asked. "Did she talk about any certain places to you?"

"No. I have no idea. She didn't seem so upset to do something as drastic as running away."

"Well if she didn't plan on it at first then . . . she probably . . . didn't go too far. And she probably would've looked for an abandoned building or a quiet rooftop somewhere that no one uses."

"That's a step closer, but . . . she could be anywhere in all of Paris. Where do we start?"

"I might have an idea." Adrien announced, turning towards the trap door. "Come on, Tikki."

Adrien opened his jacket and Tikki flew in as he walked down stairs.

* * *

Marinette leaned against the side of the building, looking down at the people below. She smiled as she turned back to her sketchpad to add more details to her designs. She hummed as she continued to watch everything below with a close eye for inspiration. Marinette stopped at the quiet sound of footsteps. She quickly got up and ran beside the door to hide from whoever might find her.

The door slowly opened and Marinette heard someone walk out. Once she looked up she immediately knew who it was.

"Adrien?"

Adrien turned around with a smile to see her.


	4. Chapter 4: The Phone Call

"Adrien? Why are you here?" Marinette asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." He smiled.

"How did you possibly find me this time? There was no way of tracking me."

"I wasn't one hundred percent positive, but I had some ideas and just made a guess."

"Lucky guess." Marinette mumbled, walking past him.

"Why are you here, Marinette?" Adrien turned towards her as she picked her sketchpad up off the ground.

"Needed to get away."

"Why? Everything will be-"

"Okay!" Marinette screamed. "Because as far as I can see . . . Hawkmoth will win, we're all doomed, and there's nothing we can do."

"Don't say that."

"Why not?!" She turned to him. "We don't stand a chance."

"Maybe not now, but . . . we'll find a way."

"I'm tired of hearing that." Marinette announced, putting her hands on the sides of her face around her eyes. "Look where hope has gotten us. Alya's dead!" Tears filled her eyes. "Everything's over."

Adrien quickly wrapped Marinette in a tight hug and rubbed circles on her back.

"We'll fix everything." He whispered in her ear. "I promise."

"We can't fix Alya."

"But we can be brave and fight for her. Alya wouldn't want us to give up like this. She'd want us to keep trying until we win. Never quit."

Marinette let go of Adrien and wiped tears from her cheeks. "I just can't believe that my best friend's dead."

"I can't either." Adrien looked down, sadly. "But you shouldn't have run away."

"I had to."

"You need to come back."

"Not yet." Marinette shook her head. "I need more time away."

"Your parents are sad and . . . I'm worried about you." Adrien looked up in her eyes. "You can't live on this roof for a few days. Especially not alone."

"Then stay here with me . . . just for tonight."

"You want me to stay here with you?"

"Yeah just . . . me and you." A small smile formed on her face as she looked up at him. "Separated from everyone else to get a break and think things through."

Adrien put his hand under his chin as he pondered it. Sure his dad and Nathalie would be furious, but he needed to be here for Marinette. Adrien would much rather be with the love of his life than people who felt more like colleagues than family.

"Okay. One day. But only if you promise to come home tomorrow."

"Deal!" Marinette gleamed.

"So . . . where will I sleep?"

"Oh, I have extra blankets with my stuff over there." Marinette pointed to her corner of the roof. "I didn't pack much stuff, but . . . I think it will suffice."

"It'll be fine. A day with you is perfect no matter what." Adrien smiled at her.

* * *

Hawkmoth and his crew had left Alya all alone. They had gone off to who knows where. Alya sat in her cell, listening to the dead silence around her. She grinned because of it as she shook the ropes from her wrists. She walked up to the door and held up a curled wire.

"A good reporter always carries a sketchpad and pen." Alya laughed.

She leaned up against the door, looking out the little window, searched for any signs of Hawkmoth and his partners in crime. With no sight of them, Alya began to pick the lock with the notepad's wire. After five minutes of trying to pick the lock, she finally succeeded. Slowly opening the creaky door, Alya walked out and darted down the long hallway. She found the door she always saw Hawkmoth enter when he was done with her. The door was left open and the room empty. Alya peered inside to see her phone on top of a desk. She quickly grabbed it and dialed Marinette's number.

* * *

Marinette's phone blinked and vibrated as Alya tried to contact her. The phone still sat where Marinette had left it on her chaise.

* * *

"Dang it, Marinette. Where are you?!" Alya whisper shouted. "Come on. Come on."

Alya moved to the window and looked out to find a sign of location. Her mouth gaped open and she nearly dropped her phone as she realized where she was.

"It can't be . . ."

Suddenly she heard footsteps coming from down the hall.

"Huh!" Alya gasped. "Come on, Marinette! Pick up the phone!"

"Hello. You've reached Marinette's phone. I'm not available at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep." The phone's voicemail spoke.

"Marinette!" Alya scrambled. "I'm been kidnapped by Hawkmoth. He's up to something big."

"Hey!" Hawkmoth shouted. "You're not supposed to be in here." He angrily charged over to Alya.

"Marinette! Get help! I'm at the-"

Alya was cut short by Hawkmoth smacking her phone from her hand.

"Message sent." The phone echoed.

"You shouldn't have done that." Hawkmoth said, glaring at her.

Hawkmoth stomped on the phone, crushing it under his foot.

"Come with me." Hawkmoth took her arm. "We have much to discuss."

A tear streamed down Alya's cheek as she was pulled away with Hawkmoth.

* * *

"Okay uh . . . I spy something . . . pink."

Marinette and Adrien had been talking most of the day and now have been playing I spy for about ten minutes. They both sat leaning against the roof wall, looking around.

"Pink . . . pink." Marinette said looking around. "Oh! My sketchbook."

"Yep." Adrien answered, laughing. "How are you so good at this game?"

"How are you so bad at this game? We're not even moving. We are sitting on a rooftop, looking around us, but not below at the city. It should be easy."

"How about another game?"

Marinette yawned. "Nah." She said, sprawling out across the ground, laying on her back.

Adrien laid down next to her with a smile. "Come on. One more game. I never got to do this when I was a kid."

"Run away or play I spy?"

"Play I spy. I never really got to play normal childhood games as a kid."

"Really? Not even I spy?"

"Nope." He said, putting his hands behind his head.

"That's awful." Marinette frowned.

"Well we're playing it now, so I guess that's okay."

"Now I feel guilty." Marinette announced, crossing her arms. "Too bad it's getting dark."

"More romantic."

With that Marinette's face pinkened as her eyes grew wide. Awkward silence fell between them.

"Sorry." Adrien apologized. "Did I just make this awkward?"

"Nah. You're just clarifying that we're alone together at night in the city of love."

"So you think it's romantic too?" He grinned, turning on his side with his head leaning on his elbow.

Marinette covered her face with her hands and her blush darkened. "Maybe." She mumbled.

"What? I can't hear you. Your hands are covering your face." Adrien smiled again as he removed Marinette's hands from her face. "There. That's better. I can see your face again."

Marinette turned her head to the side to look at him. His sparkling eyes stared back at her.

"Hi." Marinette squeaked.

"You're so cute." He laughed.

'Is he trying to kill me?' Marinette thought. 'His smile will be the end of me.'

"Um . . . thanks." He didn't say anything yet, which worried Marinette. "I mean you're cute too. I'm nothing compared to you. You're the cutestest- I mean the handsomest- I mean the most cute." Marinette internally slapped herself in the face for saying all that.

"You know Marinette, you don't have to try so hard to say the right things to me. I won't judge you. If anything . . . I'll laugh it off."

"I just . . . don't know what to say."

"Say what you're thinking." Adrien leaned closer, smirking. "Tell me anything."

"You are very close to my face right now."

"Is that a problem?"

"No." Marinette answered moving closer. Their faces merely inches apart.

"And why is that?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

"Okay. I'm fine with it."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure."

"You know why."

"Okay, fine. I do know why."

"You have a crush on me." He answered for her.

"What?" Marinette panicked. "How'd you-"

Marinette was silenced by a kiss from Adrien. She didn't back away or stop it, she kissed him back and never wanted their "first kiss" to end. Once Adrien pulled away, Marinette slowly fluttered open her eyes to look at him.

"Uh . . . u-um uh . . . h-how?"

"Speechless?" Adrien grinned.

"How'd you find out?" She finally asked.

"Your kwami . . . and all of your posters of me in your room."

Marinette thought she'd burn up. Her face became bright red. "Ugh!" She covered her face again, turning back to the sky above them. "I thought I had taken those down again."

"It's fine." He sat up to look at her. "I thought it was nice, knowing you felt that way about me. Most girls have a poster of me, but you had an entire shrine on your computer screen."

Marinette had thought she stopped breathing. She laid there with her face still covered as she listened to him, not sure of what to do.

"But don't worry . . . I feel the same way."

Marinette peaked through her fingers to see him smiling down at her.

"Really?" She mumbled.

"Yes." He chuckled, removing her hands from her eyes. "I've been in love with Ladybug forever and you're her. Being blinded by her for so long never gave me a chance to realize how amazing you really are. Now that I know you two are the same person, I couldn't love you any less."

Marinette shot up to give Adrien one quick kiss. "I've only been in love with Adrien Agreste for two years now." She smiled.

"You have?" Adrien said, blinking from the surprise kiss. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"Maybe because I couldn't talk to you or even form a sentence without tripping on my feet or stuttering."

"Aw. I make you nervous."

"Shut up." Marinette hit him in the arm before laying back down. "So . . . I spy."

"I'm sure I'll win this time." He said, laying back down beside her.

"In your dreams." She grinned.

* * *

Hawkmoth impatiently tapped his fingers against his desk. Him, Volpina and Mr. Pigeon sat in his second office room at a long table, awaiting the discussion to start.

"Where is she?" Hawkmoth asked, getting angry.

"Probably forgot." Volpina suggested. "She doesn't pay much attention to anything but herself."

"Maybe she's wandering around the park again." Mr. Pigeon said, leaning back against his chair. "She better not disturb any of my pigeons."

"She's probably too lost in her thoughts to notice them."

"Yeah. She never pays attention. Too clueless."

"Alright!" Hawkmoth raised his voice. "We all have our flaws, and yes, she may be little late or distracted sometimes, but we're all an important part of this team. We are all needed to achieve this goal."

Volpina and Mr. Pigeon looked to each other before Miss. Fortune rushed in.

"Sorry I'm late guys." She apologized while pulling out a chair to sit down. "I was with Alya again. And don't worry . . . I made sure that all the new locks on the door are securely shut and that her pockets are empty."

"Took you long enough." Volpina scoffed.

"Well, for your information Vol." Miss Fortune started. "I was trying to help us. I was talking to her and waiting for the right thoughts to tell us the way."

"You act like your better than us."

"Maybe because I kind of am." She bragged.

"At least we're on time and pay attention." Volpina put her fists on the table, leaning forward.

"So? None of this would be possible without me." Miss Fortune also leaned forward on the table.

"Well at least we're acceptable enough to receive a miraculous!" Volpina pointed at her. "You're not getting one. Shall I guess why?"

"Vol, Vol, Vol . . . " Miss Fortune chuckled.

"Volpina!"

"Vol." She declared. "I'm not getting a miraculous because I'm already so powerful and in no need of one." Volpina leaned back with her arms crossed and a strong glare. "I am the one who can read minds. I'm the one who can find memories and learn everyone's secrets. I can give them visions of what I see or what I want them to see. Alya's here because of me, Chat Noir's miraculous is here because of me, and we'll soon capture your miraculous because of me! I am the ticket to our team ruling Paris!"

"Enough! Enough already!" Hawkmoth raged lividly. "Stop your bickering and listen. We have serious issues to discuss, WITHOUT your arguing. Now sit and be quiet."

Miss Fortune and Volpina stopped fighting like siblings and sat down, glaring at each other. Mr. Pigeon rested his hand on his head, rolling his eyes at them.

"My pigeons would never act like this." He mumbled.

Hawkmoth began to discuss important matters with them as they all finally started to listen, staring at him intently.

* * *

Marinette and Adrien didn't stay on the roof very long. Once it was morning, they had left. Marinette was done soul searching and she wanted to stay true to her promise to Adrien to go home. After all, Adrien had stayed with her.

They were now walking down the streets of Paris and stopped outside the bakery door. Marinette closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"You ready?" Adrien asked, putting his hand on Marinette's shoulder.

Marinette nodded as she opened her eyes. She slowly pushed the door open and walked inside. Sabine and Tom were standing at the counter when they saw sight of their daughter. Sabine dropped the bag she was holding and covered her mouth. Her eyes began to water as she ran over to hug Marinette.

"You came back!" She cried.

"I'm sorry I left mom." Marinette apologized. "I should have come talk to you."

"You're back now and that's all that matters."

Tom came over and joined in on the hug. Once they were finished welcoming their daughter home, Sabine stepped back, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"Mom . . . Dad." Marinette began. "I'm so sorry that I left. And I'm even more sorry for worrying you. I know you're probably going to ground me now and I accept full responsibility for my actions."

"We know you must have had a hard time, but we want you to know that you can come to us anytime you have a problem." Tom said, placing his hand on his wife's shoulder. "We want to be there for you and help."

"I know and I'm very sorry. I'll never do something like that again. I promise."

"Good." Sabine said, stepping forward. "But we aren't grounding you."

"You aren't?" Marinette asked, surprised.

"Yes and we understand that you're a teenager with many emotions and challenges." Sabine said. "We know it can be hard, so locking you in your room won't help anything. But you'll be working double shifts in the bakery for the next three months from now on."

"Really? Thank you!" Marinette smiled, hugging her parents again.

"We're just happy you're back."

Marinette's parents accepted the hug and eyed Adrien in the corner.

"Um . . . Marinette." Tom said, separating from her. "Why is Adrien here?"

"Oh." Marinette stepped back. "Adrien kind of . . . found me and brought me home."

"Adrien." Sabine smiled, welcoming Adrien in a hug. "Thank you. I can't believe you would do this for us. How can we ever repay you?" She asked, pulling back.

"No need to pay me. Finding Marinette was my reward." Adrien said, making Marinette blush.

"I knew I always liked you." Tom began, walk to Adrien. "Surely there must be something you want."

"How about free sweets every time you come by here?" Sabine suggested.

"That's perfect." Tom announced. "Every time you're nearby come in and you'll get anything you want for free."

Before Adrien could protest, everything was decided. He smiled, feeling at home with the kind, loving people in front of him. Everything seemed right.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Sorry for the late update. Slow internet. I hadn't planned for most of this chapter to happen, but my mind had a spark and I couldn't resist. Tell me what you thought of this chapter.**

 **-Alice Pink**


	5. Chapter 5: The Fox Miraculous

Miss Fortune hurriedly ran down the halls of Hawkmoth's mystery house. She rounded each corner looking for his office. With all these rooms, it's quite easy to get lost.

"Hawkmoth! Hawkmoth!" She panted passing the room before backing up. Miss Fortune came in and ran up to his desk. "Hawkmoth . . . " She bent over, putting her hands on her knees.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked, getting worried.

"Nothing's wrong. Everything's perfect." Miss Fortune breathed, smiling up at him as she caught her breath. "I was just talking to Alya and . . . I know how to get the fox miraculous. After looking for so long, we can get it now."

"Really? How?" Hawkmoth asked, standing up.

"We need to go to the stairs outside this one place I know. I can't remember the name, but I know where. Alya is supposed to be interviewing a victim from the last akuma attack and there will be an old man there on the stairs. She will rush over to him and help him down, then she receives the miraculous later in her room in a small red and black box."

"Seems too easy."

"No." She denied. "After all of our hard work . . . some luck and an easier path would be nice. But . . . there's one tiny detail that's important."

"What? What is it?"

"I need to interview the victim today." Miss Fortune said, twiddling her fingers. "It took so long for us to see what we're supposed to do that we were almost too late, but . . . at least we can still get it. We just need to be quick."

"We need to hurry." Hawkmoth announced, pushing his fist down on the desk. "We can't miss this opportunity. This is our chance."

"I know." She said, walking up to him. "And we won't miss this. I won't let it happen. I'm gonna go set up the interview and then we'll good. Just be ready when I get it. Today's the day."

* * *

Marinette tapped her pencil against her notepad as she thought of what to write down as an answer to her homework question. She had been busy all day with homework and working at the bakery. She had only come home just yesterday and the bakery was pretty busy, plus her large amount of homework that she had with what she has to make up for her day being absent from school. With her new double shift, she had to complete some of her work at the counter.

Now she was up in her room with just a few questions left before she'd have the rest of the weekend homework free.

'Tap. Tap Tap.'

Marinette sighed, putting her pencil down. "Come in." She called.

In walked Adrien through her bottom trap door.

"Hello, Princess." He greeted, making his way up the last steps. "Whatcha doing on this fine morning?"

"I was doing homework." She said, pushing her notepad aside. "But . . . what's with the nickname Princess and . . . I thought only Chat Noir gave nicknames?"

"Sadly I'm not him right now, but I have a ton of nicknames for Ladybug, so I need one for Marinette."

"So . . . Princess?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Well most boyfriends don't have magical powers to visit their girlfriends anytime like I usually do, so since we are practically living a fairytale, don't you think you deserve a magical nickname?"

"Well . . . " Marinette laughed. "When you get your miraculous back, if you're going to scale up the side of my house everyday, then I guess I should start growing my hair out and you can call me Rapunzel instead."

"Whatever you like, Princess." Adrien grinned before eying her phone on the corner of her desk. "Your phone is in the same spot as it was before." He analyzed. "You haven't been on it at all, have you . . . I guess that explains why you didn't answer my texts saying I was coming over today."

"Yeah. I haven't had much free time. My parents picked up my homework from the school yesterday, so I've been working on that with my double shift down in the bakery."

Adrien picked up her phone and turned it. He stared down at it, confused.

"What?!"

"What's wrong?" Marinette stood up and walked over to him.

"According to your phone . . . you have a message from Alya."

"No." Marinette denied, taking a step back. "That's not possible. She's dead."

Adrien tapped the button to play the message.

"Marinette! . . . I've been kidnapped by Hawkmoth. He's up to something big . . . Hey! You're not supposed to be in here . . . Marinette! Get help! I'm at the-"

"That's her voice." Marinette whispered, coming closer. "That's her! She's alive!" She shouted, shaking Adrien.

"But . . . what happened to her?"

"I don't know . . . "

"That was definitely Hawkmoth shouting at her in the back." Adrien analyzed. "She must have been held captive somewhere before."

"But wait . . . we saw her dead. How could she be . . . "

Marinette stopped and read Adrien's mind.

"You don't think . . . "

"Has to be." He said looking down at the phone. "This was definitely Alya's voice and Hawkmoth didn't send out an akuma that can voice change. We would know. It has to be her."

"But why would they take Alya? What would they need her for?" She gasped. "Do you think he knows who we are?"

"No. He would have come after us by now. He must have something planned."

"And who knows who else is with him." Marinette added.

"Definitely Volpina though."

* * *

Miss Fortune shook her hands and arms to calm herself as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She breathed out a heavy sigh as she looked at the time on her new phone. Her phone was now identical to Alya's, right down to the Ladybug chain. She also wore a copy of Alya's clothes and glasses with a wig that was similar, but with touches of white. Miss Fortune could have been Alya's twin. She had her employee name tag from the Chinese restaurant hidden in her pocket though. It was 3:15 and she put her phone away to look around the Trocadero for the woman she'd asked to interview.

"Hi. Are you Alya?"

Miss Fortune turned around to see a woman, probably in her thirties. "Yes. Uh . . . I-I mean Yes." She coughed, making her voice a bit deeper to match Alya's. "Yes I am. Are you Madison?"

"Yes and . . . I'm here because you wanted to interview me about an akuma attack."

"Yeah uh . . . sit down on the bench there and I'll just . . . record and ask questions."

"Okay." The woman said, sitting down.

Miss Fortune thought for a moment, remembering what she had saw earlier when she was with Alya, before she sat down.

"So I saw that you posted online something about you being involved in an akuma attack." Miss Fortune said, holding her phone up to record. "Which villain was it that this happened with?"

"Miss Fortune." Miss Fortune's eyes widened and became alert. "She was the villain in the last akuma attack."

Miss Fortune bit her tongue at the words of the woman calling her a villain. "Yeah. I remember."

"She had come up behind me and grabbed my arm before . . . she looked into my eyes with an evil plan." Madison started, looking down at her hands. "I started to see these visions . . . about my husband. He was in danger. Then on my way home, I had visions of my daughter being threatened and hurt. I didn't know what to believe." A tear ran down her cheek. "Once I finally arrived at home, everyone was fine . . . but me. My husband and daughter may have been safe, but I was stuck with the nightmares. They were stuck in my head." The woman was now crying. "I couldn't get them out of my mind. I tried, . . . but failed. I can still hear the horror."

A million thoughts were running through Miss Fortune's head. She felt guilt and empathy deep in the pit of her stomach, but yet this was what she was working for. She is the reason for this woman and many others' hurt. She intentionally caused it without thinking anything through. With the anger she had felt before, there was nothing else on her mind.

"I'm sorry." Miss Fortune apologized, placing her hand on Madison's shoulder.

"It's okay." She said, wiping away her tears. "It's not your fault."

"Yeah . . . " Miss Fortune's voice trailed off as she "agreed."

"Besides, these kind of things only happen because of Hawkmoth. I mean . . . without him, none of this emotional damage to people would be possible."

Those words sunk into her. She didn't know what was right anymore. She didn't know which was the right side to be on or if she was part of it.

The sight of an old man above the stairs brought Miss Fortune out of her thoughts. The man wobbled as he walked and his cane fell down the steps.

"Sorry." Miss Fortune said, standing up from the bench as she stopped her recording.

She ran over to the stairs and picked up the old man's cane at the bottom. She walked beside him and helped him down the steps. When they reached the bottom, Miss Fortune gave him his cane back.

"Thank you." He smiled, taking the cane. "You're very kind."

The feeling of helping him brought a smile to her face. It felt good. The man looked at her happily as he felt his beard with his fingers. Miss Fortune walked away, full of guilt and uncertainty.

"So . . . where were we?" She asked, sitting back down on the bench.

'This is the plan.' Miss Fortune thought. 'This is what I want. And all I have to do is go to Alya's house and deliver the miraculous back to Hawkmoth. Then everything is set in motion.'

* * *

 **Later That Day:**

Adrien smiled at the fresh smell of cookies baking in the oven. He walked through the back bakery doors and into the kitchen, spotting Marinette at the counter with a huge ball of dough.

"Good evening, Princess." He said, wrapping his arms around Marinette's waist, making her jump.

"Why hello." She smiled, turning around to face him. "Are you going to interrupt me every time I need to get something done?"

"I don't interrupt you. I'm just giving you company. I even helped you finish your homework earlier."

"Yes and I thank you for that, but . . . I need to get this last batch of cookies made."

"Well, your parents left for an emergency delivery and . . . I'm here to keep an eye on you. They don't want you to be left alone for awhile, so I'll be here at any time."

"How long will they be gone for?"

"I'm not sure, but . . . I can help you finish these cookies. I've nothing else to do, but spend the day having fun with my girlfriend." He smiled, hugging her.

"Well if you're gonna help . . . here." Marinette grinned, splitting the ball of dough in half. "This should be so easy, a cat could do it. Just make spall balls of dough the size of a spoonful and flatten them a little before placing them on the pans. Make sure they're two to three inches apart. Got it?"

"Yep and this cat can do better than the average cat. Prepare yourself for the best cookies you'll ever try."

"I doubt that. I'm a baker. And since you're helping me, we can finally discuss what we're gonna do about Hawkmoth."

"We need to find out where he's hiding." Adrien stated, placing a ball of dough on the cookie sheet. "That's the missing detail we need. Alya never got to tell us, so we have to figure it out."

"And you're sure you don't know remember anything from when he let you go?"

"Nope." He sighed. "They tied my hands and put a sack over my head before driving me to the Eiffel Tower, where they dropped me off."

"Do you remember anything els-" Marinette was stopped by the blaring car horns outside. "What's going on?!"

She ran out of the kitchen to the front windows of the bakery with Adrien close behind. Cars were stopped, blocking the road with people getting out to look up at the sky. There in the sky was a live recording of Hawkmoth with three others at his side. Hawkmoth and his friends stood in the distance on top of city hall.

"What the . . . " Adrien said before they ran outside the bakery.

"Hello Paris!" Hawkmoth echoed. "As you know, I am Hawkmoth, but here are a few friends here to join me. This is Volpina, Mr. Pigeon and Miss Fortune."

Hawkmoth stepped back and let Miss Fortune move forward with the speech. Volpina shot a vicious glare at her.

"Paris, do not be afraid of us. We are your new protectors." Miss Fortune smiled. "No need for Ladybug and Chat Noir now when you have us. We as the new deputies, with Hawkmoth as your mayor, will prevent all crimes in this city. Nothing to worry about anymore."

Citizens below covered they're tear streamed faces and hugged their loved ones. Crying into each other as they watched their new rulers with fear in their eyes.

"This isn't good." Adrien said, turning to Marinette.

Marinette looked back at him with watery eyes.


End file.
